Page 36 of Tess, Property of Blaze

She turns to face me, tears now streaming down her face. “I wanted to tell you. I did. But….”

I shake my head. “No buts, Tess. You’ve lied to me this whole time. This whole fuckin’ time we were together, you belonged to another.”

I hear my boys behind me—Hawke whispers “fuck me,” and Rhyder tells him to shut the fuck up. I’m close to telling them to get the fuck out, but they need to hear this—they are my brothers, my family, which is more than I can say about this woman who’s standing in front of me.

“Blaze, please, it’s not like that,” she says, stepping closer, her hand coming up once again. I step back, not wanting her to touch me. Right now, all I feel is betrayal and anger, not a very good combination. She drops her hand and pushes her hair behind her ear. “Please, Blaze, give me a chance to explain.”

I stand to my full height and glare down at her. “I want you to pack your fucking things and get the hell out. I’m giving you this chance to leave quietly, because so help me God, Tess…. Oh, wait, I’m sorry, Teresa, isn’t it?”

“Blaze, please.”

“If you don’t do what I say, I’ll call that husband of yours and tell him he can come and pick up his whore.”

A flash of something that looks like fear crosses her face, but then she drops her head and cries into her hands, her shoulders slumping defeatedly, letting the papers fall to the ground.

After a minute she lifts her head and blinks her eyes, then looks up at me. I don’t know why, but in this moment, I think how beautiful she looks. But then I shake my head; I’m a fucking idiot.

“Okay, Blaze, if that’s what you want.”

“That’s what I want,” I state, toying with my lip ring.

She nods once then walks past me and heads out the door.

“Hey!” I yell, stopping her in her tracks. She slowly turns toward me, her eyes shining bright with her tears, her mascara staining her cheeks. I point into my room. “Take your shit, I don’t want any sign left that you were ever here.”

She glances toward the room then back at me. “I don’t want it.” She looks at my brothers. “I’m sorry, Quill, I’m so sorry about everything. Thank you for making me feel like part of the family. And please, say goodbye to Jasmine and the kids, I’ll miss them so much.”

Prez looks over at me, then back at her, his facial expression not giving any hint of what he’s thinking.

“I will,” is all he says.

“Thank you,” she whispers.

She turns to walk away but takes one last look at me. I fist my hands at my sides. I can see how vulnerable she is, and I hate myself for feeling a little sorry for her. “Just burn it,” she says, looking back toward what was once our room. “Just burn it all.”

Without another glance, she runs down the hallway toward the exit, taking my heart along with her.

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